


Goodnight, Mr. Stark

by savejohnwatson



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Avengers: Endgame, Gen, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Spoilers, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, literally don’t read this if you haven’t seen endgame, throwback to depressed tony haha amirite fellas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-25
Updated: 2019-04-25
Packaged: 2020-02-04 09:15:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18601528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/savejohnwatson/pseuds/savejohnwatson
Summary: (AVENGERS: ENDGAME SPOILERS AHEAD!)Proof that Tony Stark has a heart.





	Goodnight, Mr. Stark

**Author's Note:**

> another lil’ disclaimer PLEASE don’t read this if you haven’t seen endgame yet!!!

Tony stares ahead, eyes dull, as he watches the enemy troops crumble around him. He’d done it. One snap of his fingers, and he’d defeated Thanos for good. Peter is safe. Pepper is safe. The rest of the Avengers… are safe at last. 

 

He lets out a low grumble as he sits up, the whole right side of his body throbbing with an undeniable pain. His eyes drift down to his right hand, where the gauntlet still sits. He should have known he couldn’t handle that much power… but it was the only way. He wants to move his head to look back at whoever’s calling for him, but the muscles in his neck don’t cooperate. He’s left staring at the bulk of metal wrapped around his wrist, fingers twitching inside of the gauntlet. 

 

“Tony?” He hears a voice. A face moves into view — it’s Rhodey. He looks concerned, eyes scanning over the tired face of an old friend. Tony’s ears are ringing, and he can’t focus. He settles back up against… what was even behind him? Some kind of rock?

 

In seconds, the scene changes. He’s face to face with Peter Parker. He remembers briefly reconvening with the younger boy, holding him close in a tight embrace. He wonders if he will ever get that chance again. Peter shakes him gently, reassuring him that he had saved them all. To save everyone, and to risk his own life for it… that was  _ very _ Tony Stark.

 

Tony remembers first meeting Peter, and how excitable he had been. He also remembers the moments before Peter’s disappearance, as the boy stumbled over to him weakly. Peter is a strong boy— a man, even— and Tony is sure that he will make it on his own. How he wishes he could tell him how much he cares, how proud he is… but all that leaves his mouth are the softest of whimpers. 

 

He thinks about Morgan and Pepper, how alone they will feel once he’s gone. It hits him — is this the end? His own personal ‘endgame’? Does he die here, a hero? He clenches his teeth (as best he can as a man in his position). Strange said that there was no other way… but did he  _ know  _ that Tony wasn’t going to make it? Perhaps then, Tony wouldn’t have interfered. He wouldn’t have fought for the stones, and he wouldn’t be in… such a position. Then, at least, he would have died alongside the people he considered family. 

 

His breathing is becoming more shallow, eyes focussing on Pepper in front of him. How long has she been there? 

 

“Hey, babe.” Tony says in the weakest voice possible, the same sly smile on his face that he wore when he first met Pepper. He makes an effort to move closer to her, but she stops him. She mumbles something, but he doesn’t hear — all he hears after is ‘critical’.

 

‘So this really is the end?’ He thinks.

 

There isn’t long left. He can feel the numbness of death converging in his body. He wonders if he did enough; if he’ll ever be remembered as the person who brought Thanos’ terror to an end. His thoughts run circles in his head. He wants to tell them he’ll be okay, words spill from his mouth but he is quickly hushed by Pepper. 

 

Sweet, sweet Pepper… and Morgan, too…

 

Tony’s fighting the urge to give up. He can’t give up now. Everyone’s depending on him. His family needs him, Peter needs him— the  _ world  _ needs him. He thinks back to times where he wouldn’t have minded giving up, how he’d hurt himself just for the sake of being one step closer to Heaven’s gates. But things are different now. He has a family to come home to. He has a loving wife and a beautiful daughter. To let go of all of this now...

 

“You can rest now.” Pepper says in the softest voice, and then he knows that it’s time. Behind her, he can see the sullen faces of Thor and Steve, who can only watch on in horror. He doesn’t want to leave. He knows that the moment he shuts his eyes, he’ll be gone.  _ And that scares him the most. _ Then, there is only darkness. Darkness, darkness, and…

 

“...Tony?” His father’s voice calls out.

  
  



End file.
